HVAC-based volume control

1. An apparatus for automatically controlling a volume of a home entertainment device, comprising:

a memory for storing processor-executable instructions;

an emitter for transmitting a volume control signal, the volume control signal for causing the volume of the home entertainment device to increase or decrease;

a processor coupled to the memory and the emitter that executes the processor-executable instructions that causes the apparatus to:

determine, by the processor, that the apparatus has been used to activate or deactivate a noise generating device; and

in response to determining that the apparatus has been used to activate or deactivate the noise generating device, cause, by the processor, the emitter to transmit the volume control signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the volume control signal comprises one or more instructions to increase or decrease the volume of the home entertainment device a pre-established amount.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the emitter comprises an infra-red light source compatible with an infra-red receiver of the home entertainment device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the emitter comprises an RF transmitter compatible with an RF receiver of the home entertainment device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a user interface coupled to the processor; and the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the apparatus to: receive, by the processor via the user interface, an identification of the home entertainment device; store, by the processor in a memory coupled to the processor, the identification; and select, by the processor, a communication protocol stored in the memory in association with the identification to generate the volume control signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: an RF receiver coupled to the processor; and the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the apparatus to: receive, by the processor via the RF receiver, an identification of the home entertainment device; store, by the processor in a memory coupled to the processor, the identification; and select, by the processor, a communication protocol stored in the memory in association with the identification to generate the volume control signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a thermostat and the noise generating device comprises an HVAC component.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a user interface coupled to the processor; and the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the apparatus to: receive, by the processor via the user interface, a volume setting, the volume setting indicative of a desired volume of the home entertainment device when the noise generating device is caused to be activated by the apparatus; and wherein the processor-executable instructions that causes the processor to generate the volume control signal comprises instructions that causes the processor to: generate the volume control signal in accordance with the volume setting that causes the home entertainment device to adjust the volume of the home entertainment device to the desired volume.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: an RF receiver coupled to the processor; and the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that causes the apparatus to: receive, by the processor via the RF receiver, a volume setting, the volume setting indicative of a desired volume of the home entertainment device when the noise generating device is caused to be activated by the apparatus; and wherein the processor-executable instructions that causes the processor to generate the volume control signal comprises instructions that causes the processor to: generate the volume control signal in accordance with the volume setting that causes the home entertainment device to adjust the volume of the home entertainment device to the desired volume.

10. A method for automatically controlling a volume of a home entertainment device, comprising:

determining, by a processor of a controlling device, that the controlling device has been used to activate a noise generating device;

and in response to determining that the controlling device has been used to activate the noise generating device, automatically causing, by the processor of the controlling device, an emitter to transmit a volume control signal, the volume control signal for causing the volume of the home entertainment device to increase when the controlling device has been used to activate the noise generating device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the volume control signal comprises one or more instructions to increase or decrease the volume of the home entertainment device an amount consistent with the ambient sound level change.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the emitter comprises an infra-red light source compatible with an infra-red receiver of the home entertainment device.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the emitter comprises an RF transmitter compatible with an RF receiver of the home entertainment device.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: receiving, by the processor via a user interface coupled to the processor, an identification of the home entertainment device; storing, by the processor, the identification in a memory coupled to the processor; and selecting, by the processor, a communication protocol stored in the memory in association with the identification to generate the volume control signal.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: receiving, by the processor via a receiver coupled to the processor, an identification of the home entertainment device; storing, by the processor, the identification in a memory coupled to the processor; and selecting, by the processor, a communication protocol stored in the memory in association with the identification to generate the volume control signal.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the controlling device comprises a thermostat.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: receiving, by the processor via a user interface coupled to the processor, a volume setting, the volume setting indicative of a desired volume of the home entertainment device when the controlling device causes the noise generating device to be activated; and generating the volume control signal in accordance with the volume setting that causes the home entertainment device to adjust the volume of the home entertainment device to the desired volume.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising: receiving, by the processor via an RF receiver coupled to the processor, a volume setting, the volume setting indicative of a desired volume of the home entertainment device when the controlling device causes the noise generating device to be activated; and generating the volume control signal in accordance with the volume setting that causes the home entertainment device to adjust the volume of the home entertainment device to the desired volume.